This invention relates to detection of signals transmitted by Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum Transmission.
Spread Spectrum Transmission is a technique for modulating radio signals by transmitting the signals in packetized form over a wider frequency band than is otherwise required for the content and then collecting the signals at a receiver on the original frequency. As compared to conventional transmission techniques, spread spectrum transmission affords greater security against interception because the signals are usually so inconspicuous to avoid detection by other than a corresponding receiver. Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) Transmission (also known as Direct Sequence Code Division Multiple Access or DC-CDMA) refers to a specific Spread Spectrum Transmission technique wherein the outbound signal is divided into many small segments. Each small segment is combined with a higher rate bit sequence (i.e., chipping code) for dividing the original according to a spreading ratio. Using a chipping code to divide the original signal allows for recovery of the data in the event of damage during transmission.
Reliable detection of DSSS transmissions, especially when such signals are packetized or bursty, requires determining when the signal is present as well as the transmission boundaries and finding the information-carrying correlation peak locations. This task becomes especially difficult upon the failure to lock in local sampling and/or carrier frequencies with the transmitting end, especially in the case of a low Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR).
Heretofore, DSSS signal detection has been accomplished by performing symbol-by-symbol peak magnitude detection. For every K chips (or 2*K samples, when 2-sample-per-symbol sampling is used), the sample with largest magnitude or power is detected and its location within the symbol is recorded. The presence of a signal and the true correlation peak locations are determined based on peak power thresholding against the background noise level and/or correlation peak index consistency. Detecting signals in this manner works reasonably well. However, when the SNR is low and other impairments are present, there exists a high probability that the peak location within a symbol will be incorrectly detected due to a large noise excursion etc. The prior art approach makes no distinction between information obtained on high-reliability symbols versus information received on low reliability symbols.
Briefly, in accordance with present principles, there is provided a method for improved detection of signal patterns transmitted by Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum Transmission. In accordance with the method, received signal patterns are continuously correlated with each of N known symbol sequences. A ratio of peak power to running average power is determined on each of the N symbol sequences. A comparison is made between this ratio and a threshold value to determine the first symbol received which is typically the symbol whose associated signal first exceeds the threshold. The identity of the first symbol pattern corresponds to the particular one of the N correlated symbol patterns whose corresponding ratio first exceeded the threshold. The true burst location relative to the receiver time burst can be determined from an index of the peak power within the symbol pattern.
Detecting DSSS signals in this manner greatly improves signal/peak detection reliability when known symbol/bit patterns are transmitted. Further the method enables determination of which pattern has been transmitted which can be relayed to other elements requiring that information.